Etimology
A development of quit, influence by Anglo-Norman quite. For an analogous semantic development from the same root, compare Armenian շատ (šat).
adverb
quite (not comparable)
To the greatest extent or degree; completely, entirely.
In a fully justified sense; truly, perfectly, actually.
To a moderate extent or degree; somewhat, rather. [from 19th c.]
Examples
Synonyms: very, absolutely, fully, thoroughly, totally, utterly; see also Thesaurus:completely
Thus when they had the witch diſrobed quight, / And all her filthy feature open ſhowne, / They let her goe at will, and wander waies vnknowne.
Nobuyoshi Araki has been called a monster, a pornographer and a genius—and the photographer quite agrees.
Margaret passed quite through the pines, and reached the opening beyond which was what was once the yard, but was now, except for a strip of flower-border and turf which showed care, simply a tangle of bushes and briars.
Religion and parochial etiquette are probed to reveal unhealthy, and sometimes shockingly violent, internal desires quite at odds with the surface life of a town in which tolerance is preached.
El adrea was quite dead. No more will he slink silently upon his unsuspecting prey.
It was almost quite dark in there and she kept her arms stretched out in front of her so as not to bump her face into the back of the wardrobe.
In Lejeuneaceae vegetative branches normally originate from the basiscopic basal portion of a lateral segment half, as in the Radulaceae, and the associated leaves, therefore, are quite unmodified.
When I warned him that his words might be offensive to identical twins, he said that identical twins were a quite different case.
Create a new, quite separate, private company – say Murdoch Newspaper Holdings – and give it all, or most of, the papers that News Corp owns.
I ventured to hint that he was not quite a fair judge, as [Charles] Churchill had attacked him violently.
And with a prolonged sound, not quite a sniff and not quite a snort, he trod on Euphemia's toe, and went out, leaving a sensation and a faint scent of barley−sugar behind him.
However, the proceedings were quite carefully orchestrated to produce what seemed to be a predetermined outcome.
Higher education institutions in the UK are, quite rightly, largely autonomous.
"My little plot has been rather successful, after all, hasn't it?" "Quite a perfect success," said Drake.
While the government claims to lead the world with its plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the figures tell quite a different story.
“My Continental prominence is improving,” I commented dryly. / Von Lindowe cut at a furze bush with his silver-mounted rattan. / “Quite so,” he said as dryly, his hand at his mustache. “I may say if your intentions were known your life would not be worth a curse.”
London Underground is quite unique in how many front line staff it has, as anyone who has travelled on the Paris Metro or New York Subway will testify.
Laploshka was one of the meanest men I have ever met, and quite one of the most entertaining.
Scaramouche has already been greeted as the finest French Revolution yet brought to the screen-and even if you are a little weary of seeing a strongly American band of sans-culottes demolish a pasteboard Paris, you should not miss Scaramouche, for it is quite the best thing Rex Ingram has done since The Four Horsemen.
To debauch the Indians with rum and cheat them of their land was quite a Government affair, and not at all criminal; but to use rum to cheat them of their peltry, was an abomination in the sight of the law.
“Looks like you and Clay had quite a party,” she said with a glimmer in her dark blue eyes.
It is quite the proper thing for a lady to be on intimate, and even on affectionate, terms with her favourite clergyman, and Lizzie certainly had intercourse with no clergyman who was a greater favourite with her than Mr. Emilius.
His memoir features a child named Tommy Nothing Fancy who suffers from and dies of a seizure disorder. Quite the coincidence, don't you think?
Mind your shoes, the basement is quite wet.
Synonyms: see Thesaurus:moderately
interjection
quite
(chiefly UK) Indicates agreement; exactly so.
Examples
“That's a rather ugly colour for a house, don't you think?” — “Quite.”
Etimology
From Spanish quite.
noun
quite (plural quites)
(bullfighting) A series of passes made with the cape to distract the bull.